Optical navigation systems operate to estimate movements between the optical navigation systems and navigation surfaces to perform tracking operations. An optical navigation system uses a light source, such as a light-emitting diode (LED) or a laser diode, to illuminate a region of a navigation surface and an image sensor array to receive the light reflected from the navigation surface to successively capture frames of image data of the navigation surface. The optical navigation system compares the successive image frames and estimates the relative movements between the optical navigation system and the navigation surface based on the comparisons between the successive image frames. The comparisons are based on detecting and computing displacements of features in the captured frames of image data, which involve performing cross-correlations on the frames of image data. These cross-correlations are performed by a sensor chip that typically includes the image sensor array.
Optical navigation systems are commonly used in optical computer mice to track the movements of the mice relative to the navigation surfaces on which the mice are manually manipulated. The movements of a computer mouse are used to control a cursor on a monitor of a computer system.
When used in an optical computer mouse, there are various considerations for the design of an optical navigation system. Some of these design considerations include power consumption and tracking speed. As an example, if the optical computer mouse is a wireless mouse powered by batteries, a reduction in power consumption of the optical navigation system is an important consideration for the optical navigation system.
Thus, there is a need for a system and method for performing optical navigation that reduces power consumption and/or increase tracking speed.